Diagnostic Approaches in Plasma Protein Abnormalities

Abstract

As in other diseases, the diagnosis of plasma protein abnormalities begins with the history-taking and careful physical examination of the patient. It is very important to pick up various clinical symptoms and signs adequately. There are a great variety of these because plasma proteins have a number of physiological functions and their abnormalitites take various forms. Miyoshi et al.253) summarize clinical symptoms as shown in Table 23. Nearly all of clinical symptoms are related in some way or other to plasma protein abnormalities, but are not exclusive to them. Still, not only are they useful in their diagnosis, but they are of enormous importance in gaining a precise selection of various laboratory tests to be followed.